You Don't Always Get What You Want
by Sailor Make-up
Summary: Tetsusaiga-the one thing Sessh desires but can't have. Kikyo sees it differently. A deal is made. How will Sessh benefit from it & what does Kagome have to do with it? He must learn the hard way-you don't always get what you want. Sometimes you get more.
1. Proposition

"You Don't Always Get What You Want"

Chapter 1

-I do not own Inu-Yasha, Rumiko Takahashi does-

The day was getting darker as was Sesshomaru's mood as he scowled at the sound of his toad-like companion's shrill voice. He could never keep his mouth shut. On and on he continued to complain about his insolent half brother and how he came to own the Tetsusaiga. That day had been one of the many days that he had crossed paths with his brother, battling for the sword. He would never admit this to anyone but he failed as he has many times before. He could not wield the blade yet again.

"That Inuyasha does not deserve my lord Sesshomaru-sama's father's sword. If it wasn't for that barrier, you would have it, my lord. Humans…such vile creatures. How your father came to mate with one, I'll never know." Jaken pondered as he dragged Ah-Un with a sleeping Rin laying on the dragon's saddle.

Just when he was at his wit's end and had the utmost urge to knock the lights out of his steward, a familiar scent filled the air. Dirt and bones. His brother's woman. Why was she travelling so close? It was obvious that she could sense him, just as he could smell her filthy scent. He narrowed his golden orbs and halted abruptly. Jaken who was oblivious as always knocked face first into his long hard legs and fell back. Appalled and horrified, the green demon immediately knelt down on his knees and begged for forgiveness.

"Sesshomaru-sama, forgive me!" he shrieked as he heard foot-steps coming from the forest clearing in front of them.

It was indeed Kikyo. Her features were blank, obviously not fearing the demon lord that stood but a few feet away. She edged closer until finally coming to a stop. Her eyes met his narrowed stare.

"It seems that I am in the presence of Inuyasha's older brother."

He didn't respond—only continued to stare at her.

"It seems I am in luck as well. I have been looking for you for some time. You are quite a difficult demon to track." She continued as she allowed her soul snatchers to deliver her some fresh souls. "I have a proposition for you…will you give me your counsel?"

"What makes you think that I would want to talk to the likes of you?"

"It's regarding something of Inuyasha's…something that you may want."

His eyes flinched in the tiniest way possible from her remark, still keeping his composure as always.

"Jaken, leave us."

The small demon's eyes bulged out in surprise. Even though he did not want to, he led the dragon youkai along with the sleeping girl away from the two.

"We are alone; now speak your mind miko."

She smirked slightly at the remark and glanced off behind him.

"You were with Inuyasha earlier today, were you not?"

"Hnn."

"And what transpired between you two?"

Growing tired of each question that reminded him of why he was angry in the first place made him scowl.

"I have no patience for such questions. What proposition do you speak of?"

"It seems that you have the need to acquire Inuyasha's sword yet you cannot. What if I told you there was a way that you could? I have seen what happens when you try to wield Tetsusaiga. There is a barrier on it, correct?" without a response, she continued. "I can dispel the barrier for you if you wish."

He lifted a brow, somewhat interested in what the earthy smelling corpse had to say.

"You require something in return." He stated rather than posed as a question.

"I want to exact my revenge on Inuyasha but I cannot do so as long as my reincarnation is around."

"The strange one he always has with him."

"Yes. Get rid of her and I will dispel the barrier on Tetsusaiga for you."

He paused for a moment before replying, "Though the offer may seem irresistible, I refuse."

Astonished, she narrowed her eyes.

"May I ask why?"

"I am the one to exact revenge on the insolent hanyou, no one else."

She sighed lightly and closed her eyes, appearing to reinvent her plans.

"Well, it seems we're at an impasse. I guess it was worth the try." she said as she motioned to walk away.

"I will do as you wish but there is one thing that you must be aware of."

"And what is that?" she inquired as she turned to look at him again.

"Do what you want to Inuyasha, but his life belongs to me."

"OSUWARI!"

THUMP!

He did it again. Why did he always have to go and make her mad?

"Chikusho! Wench! Why did you do that?"

"O-su-wa-ri."

THUMP!

"For your information, I do not like to be called wench, Inuyasha. You know that! Also, I did that because you said that the lunch I prepared wasn't as good as Instant Ramen!"

Inuyasha growled as he struggled to crawl out of the tiny crater in the dirt he made.

"What's wrong with liking that delicious stuff over your food?"

"Baka!" she shouted as she stomped off in the other direction.

"Inuyasha will never learn…" Shippo sighed as he shook his head in unison with Miroku and Sango.

"This food is delicious, Inuyasha. How could you have said something so cruel to Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked in disappointment.

"You should apologize before she decides to leave." Sango instructed him as she watched the hanyou stand to his feet, dusting off the dirt.

Kagome huffed as she clenched his hands into fists. Her brows creased together as she stomped off into the direction of the Bone Eater's Well.

"That Inuyasha! The nerve! UGH!"

She wasn't as mad as she was sad. Deep down she was really hurt. He always went ahead and said the most stupid, idiotic things to her that made her want to cry and beat him to a pulp all at the same time. Deep down, she wished he had treated her nicer. He had his moments where he could be so caring, chivalrous and sweet—and moments like these. He still hasn't figured it out. Not one tiny bit. She cared for him so much and he had to go and hurt her feelings like this all the time. She wanted to make him a delicious lunch yet all he could think about were some processed, factory made noodles. Sometimes she wondered why she loved him. He was rude, mean, selfish, vulgar, and…at the same time the complete opposite. She often wondered what it would be like to love someone who treated her like gold, really listened to her, liked her cooking, and love her back with his _whole_ heart…maybe she never would. Who knew? Maybe he would come around one day…treat her like he treats Kikyo. The way he looked at Kikyo was completely different from the way he looked at her. In truth, she envied Kikyo for this. She wished she received looks like those…the ones where it would to take a bolt of lightning to tear his eyes away from hers. She longed for those golden eyes to return her feelings, just as he longs for Kikyo to return his. Before long, she found herself at the well. She stopped a few feet away from it, sighing.

"Kagome?"

Startled, she turned to the sound of Inuyasha's voice behind her. She noticed how unsure he looked as he struggled to find the word to say. She closed her eyes with arms folded in front of her, waiting for an apology.

"Sorry…" he whispered, almost too quiet for her human ears.

"Hm? What did you say?"

"Sorry…" he repeated, a little louder this time.

She sighed, tired of feeling angry.

"You're forgiven. Next time I won't bring you any food though."

"Aww, come on, I said I was sorry." He called to her as they made their way back towards the others.

The fog hung low as Kikyo walked into the clearing in which led to a cave, hidden to those without spiritual powers. She walked in slowly, eyeing the small entrance with ease. The cave was lit with torches along the walls as she made her way deeper into the cave. Finally, she came to a stop as the cave opened up to a humongous cavern—in the middle a small pond of dark water and an ancient pillar adorned with markings. She motioned one of her soul snatchers to release a soul into the pond, the water stirring slightly. In an instant, a burst of power spewed a small human-like youkai with dark eyes. She wore a black robe with a shrouded hood, hiding her true form. She smiled down at the miko who waited patiently.

"I thank you for your payment. Why is the great Yure being summoned by a miko of all things?"

"I require your assistance in handling a very powerful Taiyoukai."

"A Taiyoukai, you say? Well, you have piqued my interest. I have never dealt with a Taiyoukai before."

~Hello everyone! I am finally writing an Inuyasha fanfic! YAY! I'm super excited and cannot wait to see how this story progresses! I was inspired by a fanart I saw once and decided to put my own spin on it! Hope you like it and please R&R! Thanks! –Sailor Make-up!~


	2. Predicament

A Predicament

-I do not own Inu-Yasha, Rumiko Takahashi-sensei does-

"Lord Sesshomaru-sama! Where are we going?" Jaken called after the Taiyoukai.

He waddled as fast as his little legs could carry him, followed by Rin and Ah-Un.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Where are you taking Rin?" she asked him as she skipped after them.

He continued on his intended path, emotionless as always.

"I thought you wanted to go west, my Lord."

"We go east…"

"East?" the toad demon replied.

"Yes…there is business to attend to."

Kagome clenched onto Inuyasha's haori as they flew in the air. Sango, Miroku and Shippo donned Kirara as the four followed the two ahead of them. Kagome squinted. She could see the shikon no kakera just a few feet ahead of them. They got closer and closer and soon realized the youkai they had been chasing was underground. The dirt beneath the youkai spewed as it slithered between the brush and trees, trying to get away from its' pursuers.

"It's there, underground!" Kagome informed the hanyou.

"I see it!"

Inuyasha finally got close enough to sprint on the ground and surpass it. Once he was a few feet in front of the youkai, he skid to a halt, set Kagome on her feet and readied himself for a collision.

"Get back, Kagome!"

She did as she was instructed and at the perfect time, he stopped the demon in its tracks. The clash of forces sent the both back a couple of steps. The abnormally large snake youkai finally revealed itself from the ground and hissed at Inuyasha.

"You will not take the shikon no kakera from me!"

"Oh yeah? Watch me!"

The two began their battle as the others arrived on the scene. The youkai slashed its tail at Inuyasha who easily evaded the attack with ease. He landed a few feet away from it as he watched Sango launch her Hiraikotsu. Miroku hopped off of Kirara, joining Sango and Inuyasha. Shippo ran to Kagome's side as she grabbed her bow and arrows, waiting for the perfect moment to arrive.

"Hoshi-sama, watch out!" Sango exclaimed as the snakes' tail came incredibly close to knocking him off his feet.

Sango leaped into the air and onto Kirara as she caught her boomerang. She watched as the monk swung his staff at the tail, wounding it slightly. It hissed in pain and glared at the hoshi. Not a moment sooner did it slash its tail again, hitting him hard and sending him flying a few feet away.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha shouted as he drew Tetsusaiga.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango shouted as she launched it again.

The snake writhed in pain as the boomerang completely cut off its tail—Inuyasha finding this the perfect opportunity to finish it off.

"Kaze no Kizu!"

The attack met the youkai and sliced it into pieces, the others relaxing as its appendages sizzled. Kagome smiled at the hanyou as he confidently brought his sword to rest on his shoulder. Suddenly, the youkai began to regenerate.

"Inuyasha! Look!"

"I see it. Kagome, hurry up and purify it before it becomes whole again!"

She nodded determinedly as she lifted her bow and set a single arrow to it. She concentrated on the head, where the shikon was and released. The arrow pierced the forehead before it regained consciousness and purified it completely. She jogged over to it, satisfied with her work. She reached into the wound with disgust and picked up the kakera.

"Got it!"

"Well done." Sango complimented as she helped Miroku to his feet. "Are you alright, Hoshi-sama?"

"Yes, thank you." He replied with gratitude…perhaps too much gratitude.

SLAP!

A red hand mark plagued Miroku's face as he sighed.

Kagome put the shikon no kakera into her tiny glass bottle. She examined the shards as Shippo eyes glinted at the amount.

"We've managed to collect a quite a few, ne?" she asked the kitsune as he nodded in reply.

"Still not enough to match Naraku…"

Kagome rolled her eyes. Sometimes the hanyou could be so pessimistic.

"Well, we're catching up."

"Keh…if you call this catching up, we might as well give all the shards to Naraku. Come on, let's move on."

Kagome scowled at his back as he sheathed his sword and began to walk away.

"Awww, but I'm tired Inuyasha. We've been searching for shards for the last four days—nonstop! Can we call it a day?" Shippo complained as he jumped to Kagome's shoulder.

"We'll call it a day once we've gotten as much as that basterd."

The kitsune sighed heavily.

"Perhaps, Shippo-chan is right? We should rest for today. Besides, Miroku is hurt."

Inuyasha stopped and turned to examine his friend who was limping slightly.

"Do not mind me, Inuyasha. I'm fit to travel."

The inu let out a heavy sigh, feeling slightly guilty for pushing everyone.

"Alright, alright. Let's at least find somewhere to camp."

"Yay!" Shippo exclaimed.

Kagome smiled lightly at Inuyasha's back. She knew he would give in if it meant someone's well being.

They settled not far off the road in the forest clearing next to a tree and a stream nearby. Kagome readied dinner while everyone else rested. The least she could do for her friends, who were exhausted from the last week, was to provide them with a nourishing meal. She hummed as she stirred the stew on the fire, happy to relax for once. She glanced up at Inuyasha through her bangs—he was sitting up in a nearby tree with his eyes closed. She smiled. He looked so peaceful when he wasn't doing much of anything. She sighed slightly and focused on the ground below him. She didn't notice his ear that twitched and picked up on her sigh.

He opened one eye and glanced down at the miko. He felt eyes on him and knew it had to be her. He watched the lonesome features plague her face, her eyes saddening just a tad bit before returning her attention back towards the boiling pot of stew. It was his turn to sigh. He never knew what she was thinking. He could only imagine. What goes through—

A scent. A familiar scent. _Her_ scent.

He jumped from his perch immediately and began to sniff the air, his eyes full of concern. Kagome turned to look at him and her eyes widened. It was the expression he always had—the one when Kikyo was near.

"Inuyasha?"

Just as he was about to take off into a sprint, his ears perked up at the sound of her voice.

"Where are you going?"

He turned his head to the side slightly, trying not to reveal his face.

"I gotta go do something really quick."

"Inuya—" before she could finish he was gone.

"Kagome-chan, where did Inuyasha go?"

All she could do was stare at the spot where he had stood.

"Sango-chan, I'll be back. I'm gonna go get some more firewood."

"Take Kirara with you? You shouldn't go alone."

Kagome internally disagreed before realizing Inuyasha could be long gone by now. Kirara could take her to him in no time flat. "Mm, thanks. I'll be back in a little while." She waited for the Kirara to transform before climbing on her back.

Sango watched as Kagome vanished in the tree line, concern in her eyes.

"Follow Inuyasha?" Kagome asked the feline. She growled in reply as she sped up her pace.

It wasn't long before Kirara slowed down and halted abruptly. Kagome got off of her back as Kirara transformed back to her tiny form and both tip toed through the trees and bushes. She heard voices, clearly recognizing them the more she neared.

"Please do not disturb me any longer, Inuyasha. I do not wish to see you." She heard Kikyo say to him.

She hid behind a bush and watched as Kikyo stood two feet away from Inuyasha. He stared at her with those eyes…those longing eyes. Those loving eyes…

"I don't care what happened in the past or whatever. All I want to do is see you."

Kagome felt her heart beating harder. She tensed, trying not to let his words get to her.

"There's nothing left for us. Just give it up."

"I'll never give you up." He declared as he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her.

"I don't want to lose you, not ever again. Kikyo, I…" he told her as he closed his eyes and nuzzled into her hair.

Kagome didn't want to hear the rest. She couldn't hear the rest. It was too painful. She clenched her eyes shut and threw her hands to her ears. She couldn't hear the words he was going to say.

"…I love you."

Her heart, mind, soul all screamed in unison. She couldn't hold it in any longer. So she started to cry. She couldn't hold back her sobs as she struggled to get away from the heart breaking scene before her. The two heard the soft sobs and turned towards the sound. Inuyasha widened his eyes once he recognized the scent.

"Kagome?"

She tripped over her foot as she sprinted away, Kirara following after her.

"Kagome!" he cried out to her as he tried to follow her.

Before he could get to her, Kikyo abruptly grabbed his wrist. In a sudden burst of light, Kikyo unleashed her miko power and purified him in an instant. In her clenched hand lay a talisman with markings similar to Yure's ancient pillar in her cave. Kikyo grinned as she felt her reincarnations' aura slowly dim.

Inuyasha would soon be all hers. Very soon. She could tell that his heart was torn between her and Kagome. Soon, she would have all of his heart again and all of her soul.

Inuyasha ran in the forest, trying to pin point Kikyo's exact location. Was she trying to avoid seeing him? No matter, he would catch up to her. Finally he came into a clearing and saw a flash of red and white before him.

"Kikyo."

"Inuyasha," She breathed with her back towards him. "Can I ask you a question?"

He relaxed and walked briskly over to her.

"Why does my reincarnation always have to interfere with your feelings for me?"

His eyes widened at her bluntness.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you love me or do you love her?"

He scowled and shook his head as he tried to answer that question for himself.

"Why are you asking me this?"

Kikyo turned to face him and looked straight into his eyes.

"If you love me, then let her go."

"Kikyo…" he uttered in disbelief. Kagome had never asked him to do something like this. Why was Kikyo?

"It's time to let her go, Inuyasha. It's time for me to regain my soul back."

"What?" he breathed as he watched her uncharacteristically smirk. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I need my soul back, Inuyasha, so we can be together. We need to kill her."

"Who are you?" he asked now on guard. This imposter is going to pay for fooling him into thinking that this was Kikyo.

The fake chuckled evilly as Inuyasha flexed his claws.

"Sankon Tetsuo!"

She burst into nothingness as a strange relic with markings fell to the ground. He eyed it closely and narrowed his eyes in concern. Who was it that did this? It disturbed him that whoever did this was able to mimic Kikyo's scent perfectly. He was going to get to the bottom of this and fast.

Kagome couldn't hold back her tears. She was now walking slowly back towards camp, Kirara walking by her side. The concerned fire-cat eyed the miko as they continued their slow pace.

Why was this hurting her so badly? She has always known that Inuyasha was always in love with Kikyo. It shouldn't surprise her because they've been in love for a long time. Who was she to complain? Who was she to Inuyasha? Apparently, no one. She's always known that he's never been in love with her. Sure, he cared for her but not like he cares for Kikyo. It was useless to think on it any longer. She lost without a fighting chance.

She began to wipe away her tears as she neared a clearing. She barely noticed Kirara perk up in defense and shiver from the youki she felt. Soon, she realized too that there was an enormous amount of youki in the air. She eyed the place and suddenly found herself staring wide eyed at Sesshomaru.

He watched as she stiffened and fear edged in her scent. He continued to gaze intently at her until she finally broke the ice.

"S-Sesshomaru…?"

He narrowed his eyes.

"Miko, where is my insolent hanyou of a brother?"

Her eyes lowered to the forest floor in sadness. She almost forgot for a second.

"I don't know…"

"It is my impression that you do know for I can smell the dampness from your eyes."

Startled at his inquiry, she lifted her gaze to him and blushed slightly.

"He is with the dead miko, is he not?"

She nodded, trying to hide her heart break.

"Hnn."

Without another word, he crossed the clearing in seconds and closed in on her. Before Kagome realized what was going on, she was lifted off of the ground and flown across the sky.

Kirara growled as she transformed and followed in pursuit of the Taiyoukai and her mistresses' dear friend.

But it was to no avail—they were already long gone.

~Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Jeez I feel bad. School's been steady so it's been hard to keep up with. But don't worry, summer is coming and I will have plenty of time to update often! Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks! –Sailor Make-up!~


	3. Demand

-I do not own Inu-yasha-

Inu-yasha sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him. The Kikyo he had seen was an imposter and he had a feeling it was a distraction to keep him away from his friends. Not a second more and he sniffed from Kirara's scent.

"Kirara!"

She appeared before him in obvious alarm. She growled as he tried to decipher what she was so worked up about.

"What's wrong? Did something to Kagome and everyone?"

When Kirara growled again in response, his gut feeling told him that there was something horribly wrong.

"Come on! Let's get back to camp!"

"I wonder where Kagome and Inu-yasha are…?" Shippo asked in wonder as he took the last bite of his stew that Kagome had left to fend for themselves.

Miroku noticed Sango's unrest and placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder. Not turning towards him, she sighed while eyeing the untouched bowl of stew in her hands.

"I'm worried. I thought Kagome would be back sooner if Kirara went with her, but now I have a bad feeling like something happened."

Miroku assessed the situation briefly and stood to his feet, dragging Sango with him.

"We'll go look for them."

Sango nodded warmly as they started to gather their things.

Suddenly, Sango heard the growl of Kirara as she and Inu-yasha neared the clearing.

"Kirara!" Sango called out to her as she ran towards the sound. "…and Inu-yasha…?"

The fire engulfed youkai came above the trees and halted to a stop once near the ground. Inu-yasha hopped off of her back and began to observe the camp immediately.

Almost in unison, Shippo and Inuyasha both asked, "Where's Kagome?"

The two both blinked a couple of times before panic started to seep into their guts.

"She isn't with you?" Inu-yasha asked urgently, sniffing the air.

"No, she left to go after you with Kirara, we assumed." Miroku explained.

The taijiya eyed him.

"You didn't happen to see her at all?"

"No, I came across some strange scent of youkai so I headed straight back here."

"Strange scent of youkai…?" Miroku reiterated as he narrowed his eyes curiously. "At any rate, we need to find Kagome-sama."

Kirara began to make a fuss and growled as she turned towards the direction from where Kagome was taken.

"What is it Kirara?"

Sango observed her behavior before answering Inu-yasha, "I think she knows where Kagome-chan is."

"_Kikyo, I…I love you."_

_Inu-yasha's words rang through her mind and through the darkness of her dreamless sleep. Kagome held back the urge to cry as she recalled the way Inu-yasha's expression turned into warmth and longing as he nuzzled his face into Kikyo's hair. He truly loves Kikyo. He didn't love her, at least, not in the way that he loves Kikyo. She's known all along that his heart had belonged to her. She needed to give up on him. There's no hope for her now that he confessed his love for Kikyo. She lost without a fair fight as the saying goes. It was hopeless now…_

"-man…human! Wake up, you insolent girl!"

Kagome opened her hazel eyes to see big yellow ones.

"AHH!" she screamed as she shoved Jaken into a nearby tree.

She heard a giggle from the other side of her and turned to see Rin smiling down at her.

"Rin-chan..."

"You were sleeping a long time, Kagome-ne-san."

She lifted herself up and rubbed her forehead as she tried to recall what had happened to her.

"Where am I?"

"Sesshomaru-sama brought you to us."

Then it hit her. Her eyes widened as she remembered how she saw Sesshomaru in the clearing after she saw Kikyo with…Inu-yasha.

Her eyes threatened tears but she pushed them back and simply smiled down at the girl.

"Rin-chan, do you know why Sesshomaru brought me here?"

"How dare you, you human wench! You may address his lordship as Sesshomaru-sama as Sesshomaru-sama deserves!" Jaken squawked as he finished picking himself off of the ground.

"Jaken-sama, be nice to Kagome-ne-san!"

Kagome's eyebrow twitched at the toad youkai and nodded.

"It's ok, Rin-chan. Mr. Frog forgets that I have yet to be called by my name instead of human wench so he'll have to wait until I use the honorific for now."

Jaken scowled at Kagome as he waddled his way over to her.

"How dare you call me that, you weakling! I am lord Sesshomaru-sama's highly respectable retainer who's been with our lord for thousands of years! You two humans not deserve to even be in our presence, you—OOF!"

Jaken's head grew a bump as Sesshomaru's fist lifted back to position at his side. He glared at the little youkai momentarily before turning his gaze towards the startled Kagome below him.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cooed as she stood and ran towards him happily, stopping in front of him.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Forgive me for whatever I did to offend you, my lord." Jaken begged as he bowed his head to the ground in fear.

The taiyoukai ignored them as he continued to glare at the miko. Under his scrutiny, Kagome fidgeted and slowly stood to her feet.

"W-Where am I?"

Moments passed and she received no answer.

"Jaken."

"Yes, my lord."

"Take Rin and fetch Ah-Un."

"R-Right away my lord." Jaken pushed Rin who was curiously staring between the older girl and the taiyoukai.

After they disappeared in the trees, Sesshomaru returned his hardened gaze at Kagome.

"Sesshomaru, where am I?"

"Miko, you will do well to address me as this Sesshomaru deserves."

"Sesshomaru-sama…for the last time, where am I and what do you want with me?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as she grew more agitated.

He recalled Kikyo's words, "_Take her as far away from Inu-yasha as possible and I will give you Tetsaiga. If she asks you of your intentions, tell her that you need her help to track down Naraku for she is the only one besides myself who can seek out the Shikon no Kakera."_

He sneered inwardly. He needs her _help_ to track down the kakera? No, he would never seek something so lowly as help. He would forcefully use her to track down Naraku all the while keeping his deal with Kikyo. Two birds with one stone.

"You will track down the Shikon no Kakera for this Sesshomaru and find Naraku."

Kagome gawked at him. She couldn't believe he was forcing her to find them and not ask her politely. She glared at him and crossed her arms across her chest.

"And what makes you think that I will be forced to do anything?"

He venomously replied, "Miko, you will find him and the kakera or you will die."

Tears formed at the rim of Kagome's lids as she cursed them for threatening to fall.

"Are you kidding me? Is that all I'm ever good for? If all I'm worth is a shard hunter then I'd rather die!"

"You try this Sesshomaru's patience, Miko. If you have a death wish, then it can be granted."

His claws began to glow green as his venom coursed through his system. He began to approach the girl before abruptly halting to a stop.

"_Do not kill her or let her be killed. Keep her alive and I will make sure Inu-yasha never walks in your path again."_

The venom receded back into his veins as Kikyo's words rang through his memory. As much as he would have wanted to kill the miko and be done with it, he knew that their deal would be void. He smelt the saltiness of her unshed tears and inwardly scoffed. So weak these humans. Full of emotions and no power. Insolent creatures…

"Sesshomaru-sama, we have retrieved Ah-Un." He heard Jaken announce from behind him as he turned and began to walk away from the group.

"We leave and Miko, you will come. Otherwise, you will regret the decision not to."

Kagome stood in awe of her situation. She just avoided getting killed by one of the most powerful youkai in this time and unscathed. Let alone, he wanted to travel with her? More like use her. Why were all the men in this era just a bunch of users? Of course it just so happened that the worst of them just so happened to be brothers? Oh Kami, how did she get so lucky?

"Come up here with me, Kagome-ne-san! Ah-Un doesn't mind!"

Kagome snapped out of her stupor and stared hesitantly at the two headed dragon youkai. It simply looked at her curiously as she nervously made her way over to them. She then grabbed onto the saddle and climbed on with ease, sitting behind Rin.

"Thank you, Rin-chan."

The small gave her a toothy grin and grabbed hold of the reins. Kagome couldn't help but wonder how such a sweet and innocent girl could follow the cold hearted, icy demon lord around everywhere. The mystery would perhaps go with him to the grave.

~Hey everyone! I know it's been forever but remember when I said that school was taking up most of my time? Well, it's summer! Yay! So, if you're wondering. This story takes place right before the gang finds Naraku at the mountain where he's been hiding and separating himself with his heart. Also, please review and tell me your thoughts! I need them to thrive on! I also remembered which fanart I saw that l loosely based off of this story. It's called "The Changing Heart" and it's a Doujinshi by Steph. Shout out to her awesome artwork! My story has the same concept of her doujinshi but is different on many different levels. Thanks everyone and I'll try to update more often. –Sailor Make-up~


	4. Development

-I do not own Inu-yasha-

"Yure-sama...you're here aren't you?"

"Yes, miko."

Kikyo narrowed her eyes slightly before turning her cryptic gaze to the shadowy figure among the trees.

"It is done."

Kikyo nodded in satisfaction.

Everything was falling into place. She was finally going to get the rest of her soul back and Inu-yasha would finally be at his rightful place…at her side in hell. They had perished those 50 years ago together and now they were going back to their slumber in peace. That would be of course after she defeated Naraku. There was no doubt in her mind that she could defeat him by herself with the missing part of her soul complete. She would exact her revenge on the hanyou and rest in peace along her beloved. The only thing that stood in her way was Kagome.

"Remind me of our next move, miko."

Kikyo snapped out of her train of thought and closed her eyes.

"You will intercept Inu-yasha, while I look for a solution in regards to Tetsaiga's barrier."

"I will need more of your essence to fool the hanyou any further. His dog sense of smell was able to see through my youki shadow."

"Take all you need."

Inu-yasha followed Kirara—Sango and Miroku atop her. Shippo clutched his haori as the fire cat lowered herself closer to the ground. They were close and he was fearful for Kagome.

Inu-yasha sniffed the air. His eyes widened as he recognized not one scent, but two.

It's Kagome's scent…and Sesshomaru's?

What was Sesshomaru doing around this area and with Kagome?

The group came to a halt as they inspected the area.

"Here, Kirara?" Sango asked her questionably while caressing the top of her head.

Purring in response, Kirara transformed back into her small form. Miroku inspected the clearing momentarily before turning to Inu-yasha who continued to sniff the air.

"Was Kagome-sama here, Inu-yasha?"

"She was here, all right. And so was my brother."

Confusion and panic filled the air as Shippo hopped off of the hanyou's shoulder and onto the ground.

"He must have taken her." Inu-yasha confirmed with anger.

"This doesn't make any sense. Why would Sesshomaru take Kagome?" Shippo asked in worry.

"How fresh is their scent?"

Inu-yasha didn't turn to Miroku as he grunted, "It's fresh enough to track them down and kill that bastard."

"We should make haste then." Miroku offered as he gripped his staff.

Something was astray in this turn of events. First a strange demon, then Kagome's disappearance, and then Sesshomaru's involvement? What was going on and what was Inu-yasha not telling them? He knew he shouldn't press the hanyou, but he had a feeling that everything had to do with him.

Kagome had sat for hours on the dragon youkai's saddle and her behind was starting to go numb. She had occasionally glanced in between Ah-Un's two heads to look at the demon lord up ahead. He hadn't spoken since they had left, neither did he even turn to look back at them. Of course he wouldn't but it was odd that she had even ended up travelling, against her will, with this contradictory group. Didn't he hate humans? If he did then why did he force her to travel with them and find the shards? Oh yeah, that's right…it was because he was using her. The cycle would never end, would it? She was only useful if she was searching for shards. Never would there be a time where someone would need her because they wanted her. Love just wasn't something that worked out for her.

She didn't notice Rin had been staring up at her with curious brown eyes until she felt a hand upon her own.

"Kagome-ne-san, why are you crying?"

She hadn't noticed that she was crying either. She wiped the tears away frantically as she smiled apologetically down at the adorable girl.

"Oh it's nothing, really. I'm fine."

The little girl wasn't convinced until Kagome patted the top of her head.

"So do you know where we are going?"

"Sesshomaru-sama never tells us where we are going. We just follow him."

"Just follow him? If that isn't loyal, then I don't know what is."

"Jaken-sama says that I bother Sesshomaru-sama, but he lets me follow him though."

"Do you like traveling with them?"

Rin nodded in excitement.

"It's fun being with Sesshomaru-sama and Jaken-sama!"

Kagome tilted her head to the side questionably.

"You care for Sesshomaru-sama very much, don't you?"

From the way Rin's face lit up, Kagome knew her question had been answered.

"Rin lov—"

"You humans and all your talking! It was quiet until you opened your foul mouths!"

"Jaken."

"Y-yes my lord?" the toad youkai squawked in fear.

"You will be silent or this Sesshomaru will see to your permanent silence."

Jaken's eyes bulged out of his head before he dropped to his scrawny knees and bowed low to the forest floor.

"Forgive this lowly servant, my lord! Please allow me to continue to serve you as your faithful companion!"

DOINK

Rin giggled loudly as she watched Jaken fall over from Sesshomaru's favorite spot to place his fist swell up. Kagome couldn't help but hold back a chuckle as she watched the demon lord continue on his path ahead of them.

Stupid toad. Why did he let such annoying creatures disgrace his presence? Not to mention the human miko who couldn't keep her emotions in control. He had smelt the wetness from her eyes a while back and sensed her anxiety and sadness. Such an annoying creature indeed. Emotions were a weakness of humans and often lead to their downfall. It was his father's and the hanyou's shared weakness that had been their downfall. Both let an inferior human woman weaken them to their doom. However lucky his brother had been in awakening from the dead miko's spell, he still carried the handicap of weakness that was the human emotion called love. Pitiful. He would never stoop so low as to experience such a disgraceful emotion. He was the Western taiyoukai, a perfect killing machine that had no room for such things.

He had occasionally felt the miko's eyes upon his person and pushed back the urge to rip her head off for such actions. He knew that in order to get what he wanted, he had to cooperate with the undead miko if he wanted any chance at retrieving his father's sword. He would have to refrain from the temptation to kill the girl, even if his inner demon demanded him to.

"Sesshomaru-sama? Rin is hungry."

He inwardly sighed at his ward's constant human needs. He could tell the two human girls were from the way their stomachs had growled furiously. He stopped in his tracks and turned his head slightly towards the side.

"This Sesshomaru will hunt."

He disappeared instantly as Rin and Kagome hopped off of Ah-Un. Jaken grabbed hold of the reins and pulled him into a small clearing nearby. The girls followed the little green imp as he instructed them to find wood for a fire.

Kagome rolled her eyes as he continued to rant on and on about how humans were blah blah blah. She could go on and on about how youkai were blah blah blah but decided not to dwell on something that couldn't be helped.

She wondered a little ways away from the two who were also picking up shrubbery and sticks for the fire until a thought occurred to her. She could slip away while Sesshomaru was gone. It was risk…ok, a huge risk that could get her killed but she had to try. If she could just get far enough away to at least get to her friends, she could go home and try to forget about the days' events. Home…boy, did that sound good.

She peeped behind her to make sure they weren't watching and she tip toed into the forest. As soon as she knew she was safely away, she started to sprint as fast as her legs could carry her. Hopefully with the added stomach to feed, Sesshomaru was a little more occupied with his hunting. She could only hope.

~Another chapter so soon? YAY! I know, I know. Record huh? Well, look forward to more frequent updates because I'm excited to see where my story goes and how you guys will react to it. PLEASE REVIEW! I appreciate it and thanks! –Sailor Make-up~


	5. Fabrication

-I do not own Inu-yasha-

She winced as a branch sliced open a small cut on her cheek. She didn't know where she was nor how far she had gotten but she knew she had to keep running. If she was to escape Sesshomaru, she would have to run for the rest of the evening. The sky above was reddish orange as the fading daylight gave Kagome even more to worry about. If she couldn't at least make it to the well, she needed to find her friends and before night. She was a sitting duck out here at night with no resources what so ever. She could easily perish before then…that is if Sesshomaru caught up to her. Which was a 99.9% chance.

Just as she neared a clearing, birds that had been feeding on the forest floor flew away in surprise. It wasn't until the creatures were all up in the sky that she saw all her chances of ever escaping the demon lord thrown in the trash.

He was standing there in the middle of the grassy clearing, blankly staring at her with his golden orbs. If her heart could beat any faster than it already was from running, it was. She was scared. Not of him, but of the consequences of her actions. After all, he needed her, right? She would like to think so…hope so.

His expression remained stoic, no signs of anger shown as he silently continued staring into her hazel orbs. Minutes passed and as Kagome's breathing returned to normal, he began to approach her like a predator would his prey.

Kagome's heart thudded in her chest—every step of his would trigger a step of hers backward until she bumped into a tree with no where to go. She couldn't run. She couldn't hide. The only thing she could do was watch him as he neared her. He stopped just above her, his head inclined downwards.

Her eyes widened at his closeness. He was mere inches from her and she knew that this may be her final breath in this world. Oh well…at least Sesshomaru will make it quick.

She clenched her eyes shut as he lifted his only arm up in the air.

This was it. She was done for. What a stupid idea on her part. How could she have thought she could get away from him? She was just a human and with his demonic speed, she stood no chance of escape. Goodbye Mama, Souta, Ji-chan…Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, Shippo-chan, and…

His clawed flexed in the air and with one swipe, her body stiffened.

"Inu-yasha!" she screamed.

Moments passed and…nothing. What happened? Was she dead already? It didn't hurt one bit…

She opened one eye and then both widened in shock as he was still standing right before her and she was still breathing, unscathed.

She looked to his claws as they were dripping in his poison. He had swiped at her? But she didn't feel anything.

And that's when she heard a bubbling noise down below her. It had been a mangled up youkai that was unrecognizable due to the acidic poison eating it away.

"Wha…?" she muttered as she glanced up through lashes at the silent taiyoukai.

Seconds passed before he finally gave her a change in his persona.

"You will never run from this Sesshomaru again or you will see the same fate." He demanded dangerously.

"But—"

"Does this Sesshomaru need to repeat himself?"

Kagome gulped nervously before shaking her head.

Without another word, he grabbed her shirt on her shoulder and took off to the air.

"EEP!" she gasped as she watched the ground and trees below her grow smaller.

Her shirt was slipping off of her form as he dangled her in the air, causing her to grab hold of his pelt for extra protection from falling.

He grunted angrily and cursed himself inwardly for getting involved with such an idiotic human girl. He had to continue to remind himself of the benefit of keeping this miko with him.

Hours passed and it was close to sun down. The Inu tachi were growing more and more worried for their friend as each minute passed.

Inu-yasha cursed himself inwardly for getting Kagome involved in this shitty mess. What was that youkai he had encountered and how was he not able to see through its' poor version of Kikyo? He was an inu youkai for crying out loud! Whatever this youkai was, it was able to trick his keen nose. But what he still didn't understand was why Sesshomaru was involved. He had to find out and then he'd rip that cold heart right out of that chest of his. He's had it coming for a long time now.

"Are we catching up?" Shippo asked from Inu-yasha's shoulder.

"Keh! Of course, runt!"

Shippo rolled his eyes as Sango, Miroku, and Kirara followed not far behind.

"Are we at least close?" Sango called to him in agitation.

"Their scents are fresh enough! We will prob-"

Kikyo's scent!

And not long after, he slowed to a halt—Kikyo standing 10 feet away from them.

"Kikyo?" Sango uttered in shock as the miko stared blankly at them and particularly Inu-yasha.

"It might not be Kikyo…it might be that youkai I told you about."

Kikyo closed her eyes and shook her head slightly.

"It is I, Inu-yasha. What demon do you speak of?"

Inu-yasha narrowed his eyes, not convinced. He sniffed the air cautiously, trying to find any hint of deceit.

"How do I know it's you? You could be the demon from last time!"

"It is me, Inu-yasha. Do not doubt me." She told him as two soul collectors flew from the tree line and swirled around her.

It had to be her…the soul collecting youkai surrounded her and gave her souls—unlike the imposter that he had seen before.

"Kikyo…?"

She nodded as Sango and Miroku finally dismounted Kirara. They neared Inu-yasha and Shippo jumped from his shoulder to the ground next to them.

"What are you doing here?" the hanyou asked her curiously.

"I've come to tell you that I believe I've found a solution in defeating Naraku."

The tachi flinched in surprise. Miroku took this opportunity to speak up.

"What solution have you found?" the monk asked curiously.

Inu-yasha watched as Kikyo took a few steps towards them. His heart beat faster as his past love neared him. She stopped just a few steps in front of the hanyou.

"I have reason to believe that Naraku can be defeated if my reincarnation and I joined our miko powers together."

"Wha…what do you mean you and Kagome?" Sango asked her.

Kikyo turned to the taijiya momentarily before returning her attention back to Inu-yasha.

"If we joined our powers into one single power, we could destroy Naraku for good. But that requires her some training."

"Training? From who?" Miroku, who was now understanding what the undead miko meant.

"An old and very powerful miko named Nemu. She is the only one who could hone her powers enough to match my own. Together, we could defeat him."

"I see…" the monk trailed off, deep in thought. It was Sango's turn to do the talking. She still didn't trust the miko and probably never will.

"Every second you stall us gives Sesshomaru more time to escape with Kagome."

Inu-yasha snapped out of his stupor at the mention of Kagome's name. That's right, she was taken by Sesshomaru and they were getting farther and farther away.

"We need to catch up to them in order to even go through with this plan." Inu-yasha agreed as Kikyo held up her hand.

"There's no need to go after her."

"What?" They all muttered in unison.

What was she talking about?

"What do you mean there's no need?" Shippo almost cried.

"She is with Sesshomaru because I instructed him to do so."

Inu-yasha's jaw almost dropped to the floor. What the hell was going on? Kikyo told Sesshomaru to take Kagome? What the HELL was going on indeed.

"Why would you do that?" Sango wailed in shock.

"Yeah, Kikyo, I'm not understanding this either." Inu-yasha grunted.

She gave the smallest sigh before answering, "You see, Nemu dwells deep in the western lands…his lands. There lies the problem. No one can enter Sesshomaru's territory without his consent. Once he heard the plan to defeat Naraku, he agreed to take Kagome to Nemu."

The others tried to digest the startling new information. A few moments passed until Inu-yasha asked the question everyone had been wondering.

"How in the hell did you get Sesshomaru to do that?"

Kikyo smirked slightly, "It was not without convincing. We…came to an agreement."

"And what was that?"

Kikyo didn't look at Miroku when she answered his question.

"I told him that he could deliver the final blow in defeating Naraku."

The others fell silent, not knowing what to say to these new developments.

"In the mean time, my part of the bargain was to locate him. I will require your assistance."

Inu-yasha stared at the ground pensively. He couldn't just leave Kagome with Sesshomaru. Who knows what that prick would do? And why would he agree with anything a human had to offer? There was just no way he could see this happening.

"I don't believe that my brother would agree to do something like that. That just isn't him."

"Believe me, Inu-yasha. It was difficult to convince him but he eventually agreed."

Inu-yasha flinched as Kikyo lifted her hand to caress his cheek. His eyes softened as her gentle touch eased all of his doubts away.

"I…I believe you."

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo narrowed their eyes curiously as they watched the two.

"Are you sure we can trust him to keep her safe?" the monk inquired.

Kikyo nodded slowly.

"You swear on your life?" Sango pushed.

The miko turned to the taijiya and gave a warm, reassuring smile.

"I swear on my life that she will be safe."

"It is done. They believed my illusion."

"Good. Then I shall take my leave then."

"One thing before you go, miko."

Kikyo stopped and didn't face her-her back towards Yure.

"Once everything is settled, I will receive my payment."

"Of course, Yure-sama. You will get what you want just like I will get what I want."

Yure couldn't help the grin that flashed across her face. Her dark black eyes gleamed with joy as she thought about the payment that awaited her. She could hardly wait. Devouring a miko was one thing, but a powerful Taiyoukai was another. She couldn't remember the last time in all her thousands of years she had come across one...other than Inu-no-Taisho. She was young then and she was not strong enough to devour such a strong Taiyoukai, but now that she had a few thousand years on her, she could easily devour whomever she wanted. She was looking forward to this. Especially since the Taiyoukai in question was the son of the late Inu-no Taisho.

Kikyo continued walking through the cave until she reached the mouth. She smirked to herself as she thought about the future events that would ensue very soon.

Yure's illusion had fooled Inu-yasha and the group easily. Fabricating such a lie was well thought out on Yure's part. She was right to put her trust in such a powerful youkai as her. Who would have thought that a miko would ally herself with a miko-devouring,witch who just so happened to be part Jaguar youkai? It was unheard of. Witches were the exact opposite of mikos-their origin of power not of purity but of evil energy. Not to mention Yure was half jaguar youkai. They were dangerous besides the fact. No matter...she was close, very close to succeeding in her plans. Soon she would destroy Naraku and take back what was rightfully hers. Inu-yasha.

~Hello! So what do you think? Please please please review? I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Also, I hope I'm keeping everyone as much in character as possible. There's nothing worse than reading a canon fanfic and the characters aren't their usual selves. Thanks for reading and I'll update soon! Oh and in case you were wondering, my pen name was changed to Bunny-chan. (I will also be known as Sailor Make-up on ) –Bunny-chan~


	6. Odd

-I do not own Inu-yasha-

Kagome gulped as she lay down beside Rin, her eyes fixed on the dwindling fire feet away from Jaken's sleeping form.

She recalled the day's events as she closed her eyes. Sleep wasn't coming easily tonight and she didn't think it would as long as she was with the demon lord.

*Earlier that Day*

"Oomph!" Kagome grumbled as she was lightly tossed on the soft grass nearest Rin. She rubbed her behind fervently, obviously annoyed at the Taiyoukai. She glared up at him as he ignored her ranting.

"What the heck was that for? Does being a youkai exclude you from being a gentleman?"

Rin blinked at the older girl in shock. Jaken's already bulged eyes widen as he watched his Lord raise a brow slightly. To question Sesshomaru was not tolerated at all—certain death was imminent. The girl was even more stupid than he had originally thought.

"You will silence yourself, miko."

"Is my existence that futile to you?" she yelled at him as she stood to her feet, facing him. "If I am so worthless, why don't you let me go so I can go home?"

Sesshomaru's patience was wearing thin. Jaken could literally see his anger rise as Kagome continued on her rampage.

"You will never be going home if you do not find Naraku for this Sesshomaru."

"If you want me to find him for you, at least give me the proper respect that I deserve!"

Jaken and Rin both gasped as Sesshomaru's features turned to rage.

How dare this human demand the respect of this Sesshomaru. He was at his wit's end.

"You deserve no more respect than that half breed. You are a lowly human wench. Know your place and do not forget whose hands your fate lies in."

Kagome's hands clenched as her anger made her miko energy flare all around her. How could he be so heartless? She was the one who was going to help him and all he's going to do is threaten her and treat her like garbage? She didn't think so.

"Screw my fate! I will not be treated like a slave to a cold and heartless bastard like you!"

Sesshomaru's golden orbs flashed red as he neared her in mere seconds, lifting his hand to grab her throat. Kagome watched him, her anger never ceasing her expression as she waited to meet her end.

"Sesshomaru-sama, please don't kill Kagome-ne-san!"

He stopped, his claws inches away from ripping her throat to shreds. His eyes had returned to normal and dropped his arm to his side. He glowered at Kagome as she relaxed only slightly. Kagome shivered as his eyes sparkled dangerously.

"You will live, but do not try this Sesshomaru's patience again or not even Rin will be able to stop me from ripping you to pieces."

*Present*

She shivered in the cool night air, wondering where the demon lord slept—if he slept at all. She could feel eyes on her but tried to ignore them as she kept her eye shut. She couldn't hold back the tears that spewed from her eyes as she silently cried herself to sleep.

Sesshomaru watched the many emotions plague the miko's face. He sat in a nearby tree branch in the shadows of the night; sleep not a priority at the moment.

This girl had challenged him and without fear. He had always known she was an odd duck from the moment she pulled Tetsaiga out of his father's tomb. Why was she not afraid of him? Was it because she was used to youkai or was it because she knew he wouldn't kill her because, in all actuality, he needed her. She was his bargaining chip and if she wasn't kept alive, all chances of ever retrieving Tetsaiga would cease. He frowned much to his chagrin. This miko was proving to be a thorn at his side.

Something shiny caught his eye as it slid down her cheeks, the smell of salt in the air.

This miko was an odd duck indeed.

Kagome stirred in her sleep. She heard rustling of the grass next to her and a small voice call her name. She turned over and rubbed her eyes, slowly opening them. Rin sat peering above her.

"It's time to eat, Kagome-ne-san."

She smiled sleepily at the child before pushing herself up. She patted her on the head happily.

"Thank you, Rin-chan."

The child gave her a toothy grin and led her to the fire where two rabbits had been cooking. Jaken eyed the human miko as she sat down opposite him.

"We're ready to eat, Jaken-sama." Rin confirmed to the toad also sitting beside the fire.

"Don't rush me, fool." He muttered under his breath as he reached out to grab the wooden skewers.

"Her name is Rin. Don't call her things like that." Kagome told him in agitation.

Jaken flinched. This woman was demanding something from him now?

"You are a fool as well, wench. To dare go against Sesshomaru-sama is an act of treason and stupidity."

"I may be a fool, but Rin-chan is not. She doesn't deserve to be called such horrible names like that."

Jaken gripped his staff in exasperation. No wonder Sesshomaru-sama wanted to rip her head off.

"You are a stupid human." He started as he grabbed the other skewer of rabbit over the fire. "To even dare to talk to Sesshomaru-sama's most trusted servant is also insulting to his lordship…GAAH!"

He hadn't noticed that his sleeve had caught on fire. He threw his arm all about, screaming bloody murder. Rin couldn't help but giggle at him—Kagome had to admit. He did look really funny.

He continued his crazy fire dance around the camp before Kagome grabbed him and rolled him on the grassy floor.

"Wha-! Oomph, ah, ee, ugh!" he managed as she rolled him several times.

Rin was in a laughing fit by the time the fire had gone out and Jaken revealed his sizzled sleeve. Kagome had begun giggling as well. The two girls couldn't stop as Jaken scowled at them.

"Will you two shut your foul mouths?"

Kagome had finished and smiled at the youkai in question. "I'll go grab some water for your arm."

She lifted herself off of the ground and turned on her heel to find Sesshomaru standing behind her.

She froze before almost smacking into him and watched him scowl at her.

"Sesshomaru…um, I was just going to go get some water."

Jaken gasped at the lack of honorifics and waddled over to the girl, knocking his staff on her head.

"You will call him, Sesshomaru-_sama _as he deserves, wretch!"

Kagome rubbed the back of her head and scowled down at the toad.

"I could have let you burn, you know?"

Jaken closed his eyes and crossed his arms with a huff.

"Pesky human woman…" he muttered as he made his way back towards the fire to serve Rin.

Kagome rolled her eyes. He'll never learn, will he? Her attention was brought back to the Taiyoukai standing before her when his watchful gaze was hard to ignore.

She saw nothing in his golden orbs. No emotion—void of any, in fact. Why was he like this? Surely he didn't have to be.

"Miko…" he said as she snapped back to reality and away from her thoughts. "…you will stay here."

"But I need some water."

"You shall not stray away from camp in case you decide to escape again."

Kagome bit her lip. Was he always this demanding too? She really didn't understand why Jaken and Rin followed him around unconditionally.

"Jaken burnt himself and Rin and I are also thirsty. Please let me get some water."

Sesshomaru raised a brow. This woman wanted to acquire water for Jaken? Why would she feel compelled to do so even though he treats her so badly? Strange woman…

"Eat or else you will go without food the rest of the day. We do not stop until nightfall."

Kagome's eyebrow twitched in agitation. She closed her eyes with an annoyed sigh. He was so difficult.

"But—" she started before opening her eyes and realizing he was no longer in front of her.

In fact, he wasn't anywhere. Where could he have gone?

"Kagome-ne-san, your food is getting cold!" Rin called to her with her mouth full of meat.

She turned to smile at the girl and nodded, forgetting all about Sesshomaru's whereabouts. She was starving after all.

The mountain terrain was harsh. She could tell as she slowly and steadily walked one of the many steep hills towards her destination.

The soul youkai swirled all around her in worry—this was strenuous on her clay-made body. She forgot how it felt to actually have her muscles burn, her heart racing, and sweat beading down her forehead. She needed her soul back. She was tired of walking around in this dead shell. Her life was already severed but she needed her soul again to rest in peace—together with Inu-yasha. She had nothing personal against Kagome; she was her reincarnation after all.

She neared a leveled ground, using her bow as a crutch to help her steady herself. The soul gatherers were swirling all around her, giving her more souls. As soon as she felt replenished again, she slowly made her way into the tree line and into a clearing. There was a tiny hut across from her; a small shrine dwelled nearest the waterfall. Standing by the stream with her back faced towards Kikyo, was Nemu, the oldest and most powerful miko alive.

Kikyo treaded through the tall grass until she came 10 feet or so near her and kneeled in the traditional Japanese style. She bowed low to the ground and waited for Nemu to speak.

"Not I believed that ye Kikyo would be coming to pay me a visit. I thought that ye have perished 50 years ago."

Kikyo frowned. She knew that this conversation would come up.

"Forgive me, Tatsujin-sama, for showing up under these…circumstances."

The old miko turned finally to face the younger, her long gray hair in comparison to Kaede's. Nemu's gray eyes focused on Kikyo, while giving her a small wrinkly grin.

"Pay no heed to it, child. I was just surprised is all. I never thought that I would ever see ye again. It was a surprise to learn that ye were killed by a hanyou. Perhaps your training was to no avail?"

"Forgive me, Tatsujin-sama. Your training was successful in developing my skills in battle and miko energy. It just didn't prepare me for—"

"For falling in love with a youkai?" she finished her sentence, emotionless.

Kikyo lifted her eyes to meet her master's, regret, sorrow, and shame shown in her hazel orbs. Nemu frowned down at the sad girl, pity was not what she felt for her previous student—but understanding.

When Kikyo couldn't answer, Nemu continued, "Do not fret over such trivial things, child. The past is the past but ye future is what concerns me."

Kikyo nodded in acknowledgement. She knew what her master had seen in her—she was not of this world, she was a walking corpse.

"Tell me, what have ye come to see me for?"

"I have need in dispelling a barrier on a youkai sword. If I do this, I can get the rest of my soul back from my reincarnation."

Nemu raised a brow, curious as to what entailed in her venture.

"Ye have a reincarnation and ye wish to retrieve ye soul?"

"Yes."

"Even knowing full well that ye could throw off the balance of time and space in doing so?"

Kikyo clenched her fists. Time was taken from her so she wouldn't care about disturbing the stream of time.

"I am aware."

Nemu sighed. She didn't know the grounds of which she stood on, but trusted that they were for good reason. After all, she was her best, most trusted student in all the years of training mikos.

"I will show ye how to dispel this barrier but ye must answer me this."

She nodded, determined to receive the knowledge one way or another.

"Can ye live with ye self if the life of the reincarnation can never be reborn again?"

"No…I would not be able to live with myself…"

The miko's gazed softened in understanding. She wouldn't live with herself—she wanted to rest in peace. She could practically taste her anxiety to sleep soundly in her disrupted death.

"The hanyou that ye fell in love with…he will be accompanying ye." She told her more than asked.

Kikyo could not hide her surprise. She knew of her intensions?

Nemu chuckled. "Do ye forget child that I can see the very essence of souls?"

"He is…our time in this world has long been over stayed. We will seek peace together."

"And does he want the same as ye?"

She hadn't expected that question. Did he? She could only assume as much but she knew he loved her enough to follow her wherever she went, even in the afterlife.

"He will."

Sesshomaru tried to keep himself calm and inwardly rolled his eyes. The miko and his attendant were becoming quite the annoyance. After fetching some water for his ward and the miko, he had obviously surprised the raven headed woman to the point of silence. He wasn't going to let the humans shrivel up from dehydration. She thought too lowly of him and this was because she was ignorant to his greatness. The miko and his attendant continually bickered and argued over such trivial things the last couple of hours of travel which resulted in what humans would call a headache.

"Please don't argue anymore, Jaken-sama, Kagome-ne-san?"

"You keep quiet! This is between this stupid human and me!"

"It's no wonder you're so mean. You worship a cold hearted jerk like him, for crying out loud." Kagome blurted out.

Jaken squawked in fear as Sesshomaru fists clenched tight.

"Silence." He told them dangerously.

Kagome jumped. She had forgotten he was even there and within listening range. Of course, he could hear her. He was inu youkai after all. How could she be so stupid sometimes? Couldn't she just keep her big mouth shut?

"I-I'm sorry, Sesshomaru. I meant, well…"

"How many times do I have to tell you to address lord Sesshomaru-sama properly?"

Kagome stuck her tongue out at the toad.

"I will do so when he deserves my respect."

"Just keep your insolent mouths shut before you lose them."

"Hai…" they both muttered defeated in fear.

Sesshomaru would have sighed, that is if he had a weak bone in his body. But of course he didn't and he would have to keep these hindrances at bay or else the miko would drive him to insanity.

~Hey all! So Tatsujin means master, in case you didn't know. Hope things are getting interesting! Kagome and Sesshomaru's relationship remains the same until something very soon happens to change things slightly. It'll be a work in progress kind of building romance. So please be patient because it'll be great once the tension of waiting for them to get together finally eases. PLEASE REVIEW! I still only have 6 :( Thanks for reading! –Bunny-chan~


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